Wait
for it....wait.....wait....wait....almost.......there!
That was it. The moment of silence. by
Cole Smith

January
24, 2006 - The
Moment of Silence is a moody, point-and-click, sci-fi
adventure game that is certain to appeal to X-File
fans and just about anyone else that enjoys the old-school
charm of the genre. The Moment of Silence doesn't
bring anything new to the table in terms of gameplay
features but the focus, like so many games in the
genre, is on the storyline. It plays out like a futuristic
Kafka novel where government conspiracies abound,
but it could have been executed a lot better as there
are some holes in it.

Peter
Wright is a communications specialist for the fascist
American government that spreads it propaganda messages
throughout the country via large video screens installed
on every street corner. The entire country is under
surveillance and controlled by this oppressive regime
giving us an Orwellian view of the future prophesized
in the novel Ninteen-Eighty Four. Late one evening,
Wright awakens to see that his neighbor is being abducted
by an alleged government SWAT team. Assuring his wife
and kids that he will investigate the situation, Wright
discovers that the government has no record of his
arrest or knowledge of his whereabouts. The plot weaves
a web of intrigue, betrayal, corruption and dark secrets.

Following
the traditional adventure game formula, you will explore
your environment looking for clues and adding items
to your inventory while solving puzzles to help you
gain access to new information or physical locations.
Not all of the items are easy to locate as they can
be pretty small. You can usually find them by accessing
the H button for assistance with hotspots. The mouse
can be finicky at times so make sure you go over everything
a couple of times.

Puzzles
are a necessary evil with such a game. They aren't
integrated into the gameplay in such a way as to actually
help you with your quest. Instead they are used to
open something that is impeding your progress such
as a locked elevator, door or PC file. You'll have
to look for codes, keys, clues and characters to help
you solve these puzzles. They aren't mind bending
but they can hold you up for a while. The only time
I really appreciate a puzzle is after I've solved
it. Such is the case here.

Thrust
into the future we are given very little explanation
of the world in which we exist. The game assumes we
have lived in this world all our lives. Robots are
employed as security guards. The use of fossil fuels
have been banned forcing everyone to use satellite
cabs. How did the present government get into power?
Who controls the internet known as GlobalNet? There
are a lot of unanswered questions. We have to accept
certain situations at face value. I appreciate that
not everything is explained but perhaps we could have
had the main character develop a classic case of amnesia
or maybe have him come from the past. This way we
could explore the mysterious world of the future together.
As it is, I feel as though my character has more knowledge
of this world than I. I'm missing the sense of attachment
to my character.

There
is a lot of conversation with NPCs, intended to drive
the plot forward. Much of these conversations take
place over the GlobalNet which is the main communication
medium for the oppressed population. While it seems
believable when people are trying to reach Wright
with information it seems totally unnatural when he
encounters random characters that all seem in on the
plot. This is New York. There are millions of people
in this city. There have to be some innocent NPCs
that don't have a clue what's going on. This phenomenon
is further exacerbated by the empty streets. You will
see the odd character walking around in the background
but the streets are virtually void of traffic, both
vehicular and pedestrian. The game makes your characters
and your situation the focus of attention and while
that's what we all wish for it's very unbelievable
in a city the size of New York.

Backgrounds
are breathtaking. They display depth and detailed
architecture with shiny reflective surfaces that portray
the gleaming vision of the future but there are also
darkened and decayed areas where the optimism of a
bright future has never taken root. Some of the character
movements might be a little stiff during the actual
point-and-click ritual but the voiceover work ranks
as some of the best ever. Many of the characters are
understated in their presentation. They aren't stereotypes
spewing out cliches but some of the conversations
do feel a little forced and unnatural and they tend
to drag on, grinding the gameplay down in the process.
The story is good but it really tries my patience
to have to sit through so many exchanges. I think
the game could have lessened the conversations by
half and tightened up the game. All I'm asking for
is a few moments of silence.

If
you're looking to spend more than 20 hours interacting
with virtual characters and solving puzzles and mysteries
than you too will want The Moment of Silence.